GENERAL AND CONNECTED VIEW, &c. PRELIMINARY STATEMENT. THE restoration of Israel and the overthrow of Antichrist are so closely connected together, that it will be found impossible to treat of the one without likewise treating of the other. In a former work I have briefly considered them both: but, the object of that work being an examination of the prophecies which relate to the whole period of the 1260 days, it was necessary to discuss what is only the catastrophe of the great drama with a proportionable brevity. Yet even that part of the subject appeared to be of so much importance, as justly to merit a distinct and more ample consideration, Hitherto I have confined myself almost entirely to the prophecies of Daniel and St. John: now I purpose to take a wider range, and to collect into one point of view the various scattered predic * A Dissertation on the prophecies that relate to the great period of 1260 years. B 2 tions, tions, which foretell that the whole house of Israel shall assuredly be restored, and that the power of Antichrist shall at the same period be broken for ever, But first, that the subject may be rendered more clear and less intricate, I shall give a general statement of what may be gathered from them relative to those two great events *. I. I shall begin with endeavouring to ascertain the era of the restoration of Judah. 1. This seems to be very definitely marked both by our Lord, by St. Paul, and by Daniel. (1.) Our Lord teaches us, that the Jews shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled t. These times of the Gentiles are no indefinite period; but, by the general consent of our best commentators, denote either the times of the four great monarchies, or (what amounts to the same thing in point of termination) the three times and a half, which are the last times of the last monarchy. Since then the Jews are to be led away captive into all nations until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, it follows, that, when those times are fulfilled, they will cease to be led away captive; in other words, when the three times and a half or the 1260 days shall have expired, they will begin to be restored, I think it superfluous to crowd my margin with references, as all the prophecies, upon which this general statement is founded, will be given at large and commented upon hereafter, † Luke xxi. 24. (2.) In (2.) In a similar manner, St. Paul assures us, that blindness in part is happened to Israel only until the fulness (of the times) of the Gentiles be come; but, when that fulness is come, then the Deliverer shall come out of Zion, and all Israel shall be saved *. Here we again see the beginning of the restoration and conversion of Israel fixed to the completion of the times of the Gentiles or the expiration of the 1260 years. (3.) Daniel gives us exactly the same information. He teaches us, that to the end of the period of wonders there shall be a time, times, and a half; and that, when all the wonders comprehended within that period shall be finished, the power of the holy people shall cease to be scattered. "Until "how long shall be the end of the wonders?-It "shall be until a time, times, and a half; and, "when he shall have finished to scatter the power "of the holy people †, all these wonders shall be "finished." Since then all the wonders contained within the period of the three times and a half are finished when the scattering of the holy people is finished; it is manifest, that the period of their scattering will come to a close, and consequently that they themselves will begin to be restored, when the three times and a half shall have ex * Rom. xi. 25, 26. + Or, as Mr. Wintle renders the passage," when he shall "have accomplished the scatterings of the holy people." pired*. Nor is this point revealed by Daniel only in a single passage: we may collect it indirectly "Finito demum intervallo isto temporis, temporum, et · "dimidii temporis, dispersionem populi sancti, cumque ea "simul novissimum illud mirabilium, consummatum iri” (Mede's Clav. Apoc. Pars ii. Synchron. 5). "The time, times, " and hulf a time, are of the tyranny of the little horn with 66 eyes and a mouth speaking great things; at the expiring of "whose blasphemous tyranny, the scattering of the Holy "people, and the great mystery, shall be finished" (Works, B. iii. C. 4. p. 590). "The Jews shall be carried captive over "all nations, and Jerusalem trodden down of the Gentiles, until "the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled: that is, until the mo"narchies of the Gentiles should be finished. For these "times of the Gentiles are that last period of the fourth "kingdom prophesied of, a time, times, and half a time: at "the end whereof the angel swears unto Daniel (Chap. xii. 7.), that God should accomplish to scatter the power of the "holy people. This is that fulness of the Gentiles, which being "come, St. Paul tells us, the Deliverer shall come out of Zion, “and all Israel shall be saved. Rom. xi. 26 (Treatise on Daniel's "Weeks. Works B. iii. p. 709). I make no question but these "times of the Gentiles, with which the Jews' tribulation shall "end, are either the times of the four monarchies in general "(that is, the times of that prophesied dominion of the Gen tiles), or, (which is all one in event) those last times of the "fourth kingdom of a time, times, and half a time." Works "B. iv. epist. 12. p. 753. See also epist. 8. p. 744. and Bp. "Newton's Dissert. Vol. ii. p. 192. iii. p. 392. "Mr. Lowth," says Mr. Wintle, "has recounted a number "of passages in the prophets, which indicate the restoration "of the Jews in the latter days, or when the fourth mo"narchy shall expire.-At this decisive period, or after the "1260 years of the reign of Antichrist (Popery) and the ad"dition of another short term for the restoration of the Jews, |